Central U.P. hopes to fill major need soon

MARQUETTE — Central U.P. citizens in the later stages of life have never had a place other than home to stay should home not be their best option. But one non-profit agency is hoping to change that and soon.

The closest alternative is all the way out in Houghton; the Omega House, which just celebrated its tenth anniversary.

That’s why Dan Mazzuchi, the President of the Board for the Trillium House, is hoping to break ground on a Central U.P. location off Forest Park Drive soon.

“The Trillium House is a non-profit agency, a brand new one, which is hoping to raise enough money to build and operate a place where people at the end of life can come and be when being at their own home is not their best choice,” Mazzuchi explained.

Today, a reception was held at the Hampton Inn in Marquette to thank donors for their generous gifts. Already, $1.6 million dollars have been raised and the agency needs just $600,000 more to reach its goal.

“These places are designed to meet the very needs we’re talking about; but here in the Central Upper Peninsula, we don’t have the opportunity to fill those needs. Not yet. But we hope Trillium House will be able to answer that,” Mazzuchi continued.

Trillium House also hopes to provide a place where patients can be visited by their loved ones any time. The plan is to include eight rooms and it appears the cost will be around $220 a day.